Conscious Thought
by Kryptonite
Summary: Third person, following River mostly. She's not always insane...
1. Blue and White

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Conscious Thought

Author: Kryptonite

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Rating: PG-13

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Disclaimer: I do not own Firefly. Though I wish I could kick Fox executives in the ass.

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Summary: Just a quick introduction piece, third person following River mostly.

^^^

" I've done everything as you say, followed your rules without question." The girl turned up the volume on her c.d. player as she sang along with the song. She crawled along the floor picking up all the used Kleenex and other assorted garbage to be jammed into her trash can. " I may never know the answer to this endless misery."

She continued to sing with the music absentmindedly, placing the song on automatic repeat as she moved to sit on the carpeted floor for a moment, leaning against a bookcase. Suddenly nothing seemed to be right, like her room shouldn't exist.

This isn't right! The girl looked down at her arms and noticed the old and still healing scars there. _What's happening?_ Shaking her head once to ignore the feeling that this entire scenario wasn't right, she went back to straightening up her blue and white room.

" River? River wake up." Simon shook her shoulder, causing River to jerk her head off the pillow, eyes wide as she took in the look and feel of her real room on the _Serenity_. " River, its time for your medicine." Simon whispered, trying to get River off her bed and into the infirmary.

River just shook her head slightly and went to get off the bed and follow Simon silently into the shade.

^^^

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A/N: Alright, fourth Firefly story that I've posted and this is just a beginning. It will be third person but I also want you to see what River sees when she 'leaves'. And a note as to what the 'shade' is. I figure she has to have some pretty bad memories of what happened when she was at the Academy.

Also, Simon mentioned to Early that it was in a lab like this that she had been cut up. Personally, I don't see how the lab could be exactly like the one at the Academy (not as advanced, ya know?) so she would probably consider a 'shade' or a 'shadow' of the original. Kind of like a prep room or something.


	2. Core Job

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Conscious Thought

Author: Kryptonite

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Rating: PG-13

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Disclaimer: I do not own Firefly. Though I wish I could kick Fox executives in the ass.

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Summary: What if River wasn't always totally insane? Third person following River mostly.

^^^

" We have a job on a core planet. One hundred percent legal, before you ask Inara. But it only requires two people, me and Jayne. The rest of y'all can take a break. We'll be here for a couple of days and if all goes smoothly, for once, we should have a half-way decent paying job."

" Sounds good cap'n." Kaylee said grinning as always, her round face lighted up in a smile.

" Kaylee, you're gonna try and see if we can't get us a few passengers together."

" Shiny."

" As for the rest of you, just… try to stay out of trouble." Mal exited after making his announcement, Inara following quickly after him.

" Which planet Mal?" Mal turned on the Companion quickly.

" What do you care? You aren't staying long enough anyway." Mal continued to walk away, Inara following behind him, anger clear as day on her face.

" Gorramnit Mal. I am not gone yet."

" Yet being the key word." He went down the stairs to the next floor to get to his quarters.

^^^

" So what are you two going to do with your break?" Simon asked after Mal left, smiles lighting up his face at the prospect of being on a core planet.

" Probably spend the entire time locked away in a room somewhere together." Wash stated, wrapping his arms around his wife. The group laughed as Inara came silently back into the room, seating herself at the table.

" What about you doc? Not much you can do." Simon nodded his head in agreement but it was River who spoke up.

" Water. Falling and cleansing, keeping everyone right. Mind controlled by sparkling drops of liquid crystal." River's face was one of joy, as she stared at something no one else could see.

" Doesn't that ruttin' sister of yours ever shut up?" Jayne muttered from where he was still hunched over his plate.

" Yes, just like you can't comprehend how to be polite." Simon shot back quietly, before turning to face his sister and smiling as his hand rested on her jet-black hair.

" What about water sweet heart?" Kaylee asked, looking at her friend and Simon evenly.

" River loves water. I'll see if we can't arrange for a bath or a shower or something, okay?"

" You know you two probably shouldn't leave the ship." Book intoned from across the table as he turned a page in his bible. It was silent for a few minutes as the crew stared at Book.

" I can get you a room in a hotel. It wouldn't be any trouble before you say anything." Inara offered, a smile gracing her lips.

" That would be… real nice. Thank you. Say thank you River." River turned her eyes on Inara, seeming to Inara to see straight into her.

" A good-bye gift." She whispered, head tilting to the side.

" What was that River?" Simon asked, bringing his head closer to her. She shook her head, eyes coming to focus on Simon's slicked back brown hair. Pushing his face back she looked over at Inara with sad eyes.

" Thank you." River settled back into her chair, her hands in her lap and her eyes focused beyond the empty plate she was staring at.

" You're welcome." Inara stared down into her lap, having been one of the few to actually hear River, the other had been the resident ape Jayne.

^^^

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A/N: Alright, second chapter up, I'm liking the way this is going but you might not and if you don't please don't yell in your review (EXCESSIVE CAPS IS YELLING) and please try to make sure you spell. Like my other firefly story I just recently put up, if you yell and misspell words (bobbobbobbobbob's review: STUPID STUBID STUPID. I HATE YOU THE ONY GOOD FICS ARE TT AND YGO AND A COUPLE OTHERS. YOU SUCK) will be ignored.

Now that that is over, thanks for reading and tell me what's going on it that head of yours. Have a nice life in the 'verse.


	3. You Help

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Conscious Thought

Author: Kryptonite

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Rating: PG-13

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Disclaimer: I do not own Firefly. Though I wish I could kick Fox executives in the ass.

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Summary: What if River wasn't always totally insane? Third person following River mostly.

^^^

" River?" Simon called, looking for his sister on the ship as they neared the planet. Mal had given them permission to leave the boat for a few hours and Inara had communicated ahead and secured them a room with a real shower.

" Looking for somethin' doc?" Jayne asked, suddenly stepping in Simon's way just as he was bending to look around the corner.

" Just… River." Simon said slowly, staring at the bigger man and being aware of the fastest escape route.

" She's not any where near me." Jayne answered before going to the hatch into his bunk and kicking it open. Jayne glanced at the doctor before securing the piece of food between his teeth and climbed down.

" What the- get the gorram hell out of my bunk!" Jayne called after the hatch had clunked shut, turning around to see River sitting calmly on his bed.

" You heard."

" Heard what?" He growled, trying to pace somewhere and not being able to put enough distance between the two of them considering all she had to do was reach back and grab one of his guns.

" What I said about 'Nara."

" Yeah I heard. So what?" Jayne grumbled, feeling more and more like a trapped animal.

" I'm not going to shoot you." River mumbled, looking down at her bare feet. Jayne didn't say anything, just continued to stare. " Why don't you trust me?" She asked quietly.

" Maybe because you sliced my chest?" He burst out. His ears picked up River mumbling something or other about logos and he just snarled at her. " Get out."

Shaking her head sadly River stood up, her dress falling back around her legs.

" You…" River trailed off, still not looking at Jayne. After a few moments of increasing tension Jayne finally stopped fidgeting.

" What?" He snapped. River took her eyes off the floor and stared right into his. For a moment Jayne felt like he was going to fall over, like he was moving a million miles a second and he was going to slam into a wall. Then River turned her eyes away from him and grabbed onto the ladder.

" You help." River spoke quietly before climbing up the ladder and disappearing out the door. Jayne could hear Simon through the metal, seconds after it clicked shut.

" I help? Help what?" He muttered to himself before going to lay down on his bed. Taking a deep breath he noticed it smelled like strawberries. " Gorram girl." He muttered again before his eyes closed for a few moments of sleep."

^^^

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A/N: Third chapter, yay me. This one really wasn't all that hard to write. Finding time was what was hard. Yes I know it's short but all my chapters are so far so *shrugs*.

I really haven't been doing much with Firefly lately but (consider this a warning) I believe strongly in certain pairings on Firefly. Mal/Inara, Zoe/Wash, Kaylee/Simon and, yep you guessed it, Jayne/River. That's also the pairings that will appear in this story.

Enjoy the 'verse, tell me what you think.


	4. Bloody Showers

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Conscious Thought

Author: Kryptonite

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Rating: PG-13; nudity present, be warned

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Disclaimer: I do not own Firefly. Though I wish I could kick Fox executives in the ass.

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Summary: What if River wasn't always totally insane? Third person following River mostly.

^^^

River sat on the bottom of the tub as the water sprayed over her skin. She thought back over the past couple of months that she and her brother had been on _Serenity_.

River listened absently as her brother's preferred choice of music floated in through the wood door. She clutched her knees to her bare chest, thinking of all the flashes and visions she'd had since leaving the Academy. Even her cryo sleep wasn't really sleep.

' Water makes me lucid. Too bad there isn't more water on the ship.' River commented in her mind tilting her head back so the water would hit her eyelids and drip down her nose and chin. She sat for a few more minutes, mind completely blank for once in a long time.

River finally let her mind drift over the days at the Academy. It wasn't so much she couldn't remember what happened as she wasn't awake for most of it. What little she did remember when she was on the ship and having nightmares wouldn't come out straight because they had planted in a safety mechanism. Just in case one of their 'students' ever got loose.

The dark-haired girl didn't dwell on the few other 'students' she had met not knowing how they were fairing. She knew that the blue-hands would have punished everyone for her escape even as they struggled to find her.

' Jayne makes me sane.' River chuckled over a fond memory of when she had insulted Jayne telling him that 'Jayne is a girl's name'.

Simon knocked on the door, pulling River out of her reverie. " Everything okay?"

" Everything's fine." River made a face when her voice squeaked. " I'm fine."

" Alright. Just try not to turn into a prune, okay?" Simon joked, walking back to sit down in the comfortable chair he had found within moments of entering the room.

River looked down at her fingers, not caring that the 'prunification' process had already started. She leaned her head against the wall as steam rose around her, clouding over the shower curtain and the mirror. Looking down at her body for a minute River's vision was suddenly clouded with red. Blood pouring from hundreds of open cuts, mixing with the water and turning it pink as it swirled down the drain.

River screwed her eyes closed, swallowing hard, willing the image and the sting from the open wounds to go away. When River tentatively opened her eyes again her body was back to be the perfect, creamy, unmarred form she saw whenever she looked in a mirror.

Shakily River turned the water off and stood, pushing the curtain out of her way. She grabbed one of the white towels from the rack and wrapped it around her body taking a quick look back at the tub. Before River's eyes flashed blood-soaked white porcelain. Turning away she faced the fogged over mirror.

" It's not me." She whispered to the image she could vaguely see around the steam.

^^^

" Feel better mei-mei?" River smiled at her brother, having stepped fully clothed from the bathroom. River nodded, knowing that her brother would never find out about the visions of blood running down her-but-not-her arms. It didn't make much sense to River and until she knew more she was going to keep it to herself.

" Well that's good. Come on, we should get back to the ship." River nodded again, letting Simon lead her out of the room, down the hall and out into the sunshine.

It took them all of ten minutes to get a shuttle back to the market where the ship docks were located. It took them another five to wind their way through the crowds and back to the comforts of their home _Serenity_.

" We got company Simon." Kaylee called, happy at the prospect of passengers, not seeming to understand that this was a bad thing since it meant River had to hide in one of the shuttles until they got off. River nodded, noting with happiness that Inara was still on board.

Doing her best to be as quiet as possible River snuck away from her brother as he flirted with Kaylee and slid into Inara's shuttle.

" You didn't leave." She commented, making Inara jump slightly.

" No. I didn't. Decided… Well I decided-"

" That he's worth it to stay. That you'll keep tryin' because eventually he'll come around and admit what the two of you already know but have just been dancin' around since you came on this ship?" Inara sat silent, stunned at River's soft-spoken words. But in reality it shouldn't have surprised her half as much since they had figured out that River was a reader a while ago.

" Yes. I guess so." She answered the girl quietly, smiling up at her. That was when Mal came in, knocking as he passed through the door. " It's something at least."

" I knocked," He said forcing his words out. " So you're stayin' then?"

" Looks like." Mal nodded, already headed back out the door.

" Alright then. River stays in here."

" I'll get the bed set up for you." River nodded, shuffling her booted feet as she struggled to keep Mal and Inara's heightened emotions out of her head. It was a losing battle, as she had to sleep sometime. 

^^^

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A/N: Fourth chapter for Saint Jayne [LOL ;)] since he's the one who whined and complained that I didn't have a new chapter for this story yet. So thank him that this is here. Just a little thought. I wanted a couple of things that helped River focus her thoughts, things that might not be in large supply on the ship. Water was the only thing I could think of.

I was thinking about increasing the rating for this chapter but it really isn't R (least not yet) so I wasn't sure if I should. I mean… I'm just confused. Anyway, another chapter with River, yay. I also liked the whole 'prunification' thing.

Enjoy the 'verse, tell me what you think.


	5. Troubled Sleep

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Conscious Thought

Author: Kryptonite

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Rating: PG-13

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Disclaimer: I do not own Firefly. Though I wish I could kick Fox executives in the ass.

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Summary: What if River wasn't always totally insane? Third person following River mostly.

^^^

River lay on the make-shift bed that Inara had put together, waiting for sleep to come as her mind whirled with thoughts: hers, the ones programmed by the Alliance and those of the other members of the ship.

Inara had told her when she had come back to sleep that they had taken on four new passengers, three men and a woman. River would have found out on her own, as the day wore on. She tossed and turned waiting for the voices to die down so she could get some sleep. But instead of getting quieter they continued to rage as her eyes got heavier and heavier and she finally gave in to the dark abyss of sleep.

__

As the doorbell rang the woman set down the rolling pin, wiped her flour-covered hands on a towel and went out the door into the hallway to the front door. She just made it to the door when the bell rang again. Opening the front door she stared out at the young man through the glass storm door.

" Can I help you?" She asked, pushing back a strand of her strawberry blonde hair.

" Yes ma'am, I have a package for a Mrs. Winona Richardson?" He asked, holding up a clipboard and squinting at the writing.

" That's me." Winona answered, staring at the man's uniform. It was of a standard delivery service and the truck parked next to the curb solidified his statement. 'So why does this feel so wrong?' She wondered in a panic.

" Well I have a package but I need your signature here." She licked her lips, anxious to keep the glass door between her and the young man.

" Can I see the package first?" He smiled at her and nodded.

" Of course you can ma'am. Just a moment." He jogged over to the back of his truck and pulled out a rather large box, which was apparently just as heavy. As he came back she hurriedly opened the door so he could bring it in and set it on the kitchen table.

" It's from mama. Thank you." She smiled, looking at the label on the box.

" The pleasure's all _mine ma'am." At the change in voice Winona turned a confused and fearful look on the man. Next thing she knew she was being thrown into the wall._

" River!" Inara whispered urgently, shaking the girl. River's groggy eyes opened, and the part of her that was still sane knew that she was coming out as the confused, scared and uncontrollable girl. " Sweetie, it was just a nightmare. Was it about the Academy?" Inara asked.

River started shaking her head 'no' and pushing herself into the wall. Inara interpreted the way she was acting as not wanting to talk about the nightmare that had, indeed, been about the Academy, even though River knew it hadn't.

" Go back to sleep honey. It was just a nightmare. Everything will be fine." Inara whispered, just as desperate for some more sleep herself. She wondered how Simon dealt with the nightmares and still looked so refreshed and awake during the day.

River nodded, worming her way out of Inara's grasp and slid back under the blankets, facing the cloth-covered metal walls of the shuttle as a single tear slipped down her cheek. She listened as Inara went back to sleep, lulling herself back into the dark waters by listening to Inara's deep, even breathing.

__

" The good book says, ye shalt not suffer a witch to live. And what are we doing but letting her live." The dark-haired man argued.

" She's not harming no one." The blonde argued, tossing back his drink.

" She's a witch." The wife of the man shrieked at the knight.

" She's just a little girl living in the middle of nowhere with a sickly, aging father."

" That does not vindicate letting her live." A new deeper voice intoned from the doorway. The knight suddenly snapped to attention, his cup landing on the wood and his feet dropping to the floor.

" Milord." He murmured, his head tilting towards the ground.

" Father, please. She is a witch!" The woman pleaded, falling to her knees at the Bishops' feet.

" And one of your own has allowed her to live time and again." The man added, meaning the local priest.

" Is that so?"

River woke with a jolt, eyes opening to see the darkly covered cloths of Inara's shuttle instead of the comforting silver-grey of her own bunk. " Winona… Elizabeth…" She whispered, trying to block the images of her nightmares.

^^^

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A/N: Fifth chapter. I had the idea for the first dream a couple of weeks ago. I also thought it would be nice if Inara had a slightly bigger role than she gets in most stories. Enjoy. 


	6. Surprise

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Conscious Thought

Author: Kryptonite

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Rating: PG-13

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Disclaimer: I do not own Firefly. Though I wish I could kick Fox executives in the ass.

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Summary: What if River wasn't always totally insane? Third person following River mostly.

^^^

" So how's… the shuttle holding up?" Mal asked uncomfortably, trying to ask about River without letting the guests know there was someone else on board.

" I had a small glitch last night in the viewing screen but other than that it's been working peacefully." Inara answered, apologizing silently to Simon that they had to talk about his sister like a shuttle and keep her hidden.

" That's good."

" Do you have frequent glitches in your ships technology?"

" Not generally Mr. Lawrence." Kaylee answered, smiling at the older man cheerfully.

" And you take care of all the maintenance, is that right?" Kaylee turned to Mr. Lawrence's sister, and did her best not to glare at the tome in which that sentence had been said.

" Yes ma'am. I make sure Serenity's in workin' order ta get ya where ya pay ta go." Kaylee grinned at the sour-faced woman before going back to her meal. Ms. Lawrence simply sniffed in disdain before going back to her own meal.

^^^

River laid with her ear pressed against the floor of Inara's shuttle. Sounds of footsteps coming closer to the shuttle caused River to scurry from her resting place to try and hide underneath the companions bed.

" Girl?" Jayne's voice called, followed by his booted feet. " Gorram girl." He muttered, setting something metal down on a table. He continued to whisper. " I don't have time ta play hide n' seek." River reached a hand out and placed it on his leg, just above his work boots.

" River." She whispered, crawling from under the bed, squeezing to get her lithe frame out from the cramped space.

" What?" He asked, a confused look settling on his features as he took a step back.

" My name is River." She answered, settling in a chair to eat the food Jayne had brought. " Thank you." River called before Jayne had taken more than a few steps towards the shuttles' door.

" Well, I would have let you starve but Mal and Simon had other thoughts." Jayne was stopped from leaving by River's next statement.

" You talked."

" And just what does that mean?" He turned, angry. River smiled before taking another bite of the protein.

" You have trouble keeping nice things in your mouth. Just like when Simon first came on. Mal sent you from the table then, too." Jayne took four angry steps, getting right in the girls' face.

" I don't like you in my head girl." River glared right back at him.

" Then stop projecting." She answered before stretching up and pecking him on the lips.

" Jayne? Mal's looking for you." Inara spoke, coming into the shuttle, the door shutting behind her. Jayne jumped, looking guilty. He stuttered a bit before he managed to force his legs to leave the small living space.

" What did you say to him?" Inara asked, impressed with the Reader. River simply smiled before continuing to eat her dinner. 

^^^

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A/N: Sixth chapter, still short. I hope everyone liked the Jayne/River interaction. I was really just trying to catch Jayne off guard… not to mention it was just so perfect with him that close to her.


	7. One Down

Conscious Thought

Author: Kryptonite

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I do not own Firefly. Though I wish I could kick Fox executives in the ass.

Summary: What if River wasn't always totally insane? Third person following River mostly.

()

" Well I am very happy to have those people off of my ship." Mal spoke once the doors to Serenity's hold had been shut.

" That makes two of us." Kaylee muttered, having had to deal with Ms. Lawrence's snide comments about her for the past week.

" On to our next job." Zoë responded, following her husband up to the cockpit.

" Couple'a rules for our next job." Mal said, addressing the rest of the crewmembers. He looked up as River's body came to rest on the rail. " One, me and Zoë go alone. No Jayne." Jayne grumbled, sitting down on the steps. " Two, Jayne is to keep an eye on those of you who want to leave the ship. Word has it that people are allowed to swim at the beach close to where we're meeting our employer."

" We can go swimming?" Kaylee asked, looking like it was Christmas.

" Yes, _if_ you promise not to get into any trouble."

" May I take River?" River's eyes had also lit up but only Jayne had registered the change in the girl as it was dimmed instantly. Jayne just shook his head as her eyes glazed over.

" Promise me you can keep her in check."

" I'll… do my best. River's always… better around water."

" Why do I get stuck baby-sittin'?" Jayne growled.

" Because I would rather have Zoë helping me with this than you. You almost blew us getting the job in the first place." Jayne refrained from his usual grumbling, hearing the truth in Mal's words.

" Now, we're flying maybe two towns over. Jayne will take Simon, River and Kaylee to the beach and will make sure nothing happens. Preacher are you going to stay on the ship?"

" I believe some quiet would be much appreciated."

" Don't know how much of that you'll be getting with Wash staying on board but good luck tryin'."

" Captain," Zoë called, standing at the top of the stairs.

" Right there." Mal answered, already moving towards the nose of the ship.

" You want to go swimming Inara?" Simon asked, looking up to see Inara standing behind River. She smiled and Jayne's interest peaked, already feeling better about the day's events.

" I'll find something for River to wear." Inara smiled, motioning for Kaylee to join them.

" Be back here in an hour." Mal spoke, letting them know when they'd reach their destination.

()

** A/N:** Seventh chapter, took me long enough to get it up, didn't it? Sorry about that. So they're getting to go for a day out. Now if you don't know by now, it will not be the perfect day at the beach. I wouldn't be me if I did that.


	8. UnderWater

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Conscious Thought

Author: Kryptonite

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I do not own Firefly. Though I wish I could kick Fox executives in the ass.

Summary: What if River wasn't always totally insane? Third person following River mostly.

* * *

Jayne sat down grumbling in the sand, ignoring River as she plopped down a few feet away from him.

" River, are you coming?" Simon asked, stopping at the sudden loss of his sister.

The girl nodded before stripping off the red, patterned sundress she'd been wearing over the bathing suit Inara had lent her. Jayne did his best to stare straight ahead. For once in his life he cursed his peripheral vision. Standing up she pulled her long black hair into a knot on the back of her head and ran full tilt for the water.

Simon watched amused as she leapt in, swimming immediately. The doctor sat down slowly, placing Kaylee's folding chair under his bottom.

" What's the matter doc, not up for swimming?" Jayne questioned uninterested as he watched Inara and Kaylee giggle and prissy foot their way into the water.

" Not right now. Maybe later." He added, eyes closing tiredly as he looked up at the sky. Within moments the doctor was asleep under the blazing sun. Jayne snorted, as he knew that when Simon woke up he would be completely cooked.

Jayne pulled Kaylee's umbrella from the pile of objects that had been brought along on the trip. Leaving his boots, long pants, T-shirt and leather gloves on he laid back on the sand, getting comfortable, using the umbrella as a shade for his face.

River swam around, enjoying the feeling of being back inside her own body, without worrying. She broached the surface taking a deep breath and getting her bearings. She had swum out farther than she had intended and headed back into the shore against the current.

It was hard work but with the majority of it spent beneath the surface she managed to get back to a reasonable distance from the sandy shoreline. River left her eyes open through the seawater, watching schools of fish dart in and out of the coral reefs. Taking another deep breath she dived back down deeper. Suddenly the water wasn't enough.

"You are to be tested by water." The girl stood crying on the beach, her family and friends standing silently behind her, not saying anything to help her.

River started struggling beneath the water, her hair coming loose from its knot.

" If you float then you are a witch."

" And if I drown you murdered an innocent woman." She spat between her sobs, earning herself a hard hit to the mouth, causing it to split.

" You are not to speak witch!" The man shouted, standing over her and causing her to tremble.

River closed her eyes against the images but couldn't get away as they were burned into her brain.

Elizabeth walked into the salty waters, dragging the heavy chains with her, struggling to stay upright as the waves crashed against her legs. Suddenly the bottom dropped out from under her feet and she sank rapidly, the metal pulling her down even as she struggled to reach the surface.

River screamed out the last of her oxygen as she headed for what little light she could see, what seemed a century to the surface. Her long, tangled hair, freed from its restraint, caught on the craggy coral reefs, trapping her beneath the water.

Jayne sat up quickly, knocking the umbrella over. Something was wrong. He raced down to the waters edge to see Inara and Kaylee playing in the shallows, gossiping about girly stuff.

" Where's River?" He shouted, looking further and further out as the panic started to completely control him.

" I… don't know. She must have swum further down the beach." Kaylee was hesitant knowing that River had a habit of getting in trouble when she wandered away.

Jayne was already pulling off his boots, socks and shirt as he raced into the water. In a moment he was under the surface pulling for where the source of his anxiety lay.

River already knew what it felt like to drown. To be suffocated by salty tasting water flooding over your lips and down your throat and filling your lungs until there was no space for life-giving air left. She didn't want to do that again. It was slow and painful.

A figure was swimming towards her from the surface. River was too oxygen deprived to determine between her mind and Elizabeth's as the two views switched back and forth in front of River's eyes.

Jayne saw the problem as soon as he reached River. Her eyes were glassed over, as they usually where whenever she went crazy. Swimming around behind her, he worked at releasing the few clumps of hair that were tangled in and around the coral's fingers.

He managed to get the hair unattached without cutting any off. Grabbing River around the waist he started stroking for the surface and the beach, knowing exactly where to go even under the salty waves.

" Wake Simon!" Jayne shouted as soon as he burst the surface with River, swimming hurriedly for the shore as River hung limply in his arm, floating on the surface. Kaylee was already half way to Simon when Jayne shouted.

* * *

A/N: Eighth chapter, took me really long, didn't it? Sorry about that. Not exactly the way I pictured the underwater scene but I guess it'll have to do, kinda going back and forth between Jayne and River.


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